Local women can now learn the latest skills in fashion designing in the Kingdom instead of going abroad leaving their loved ones behind, a Saudi woman entrepreneur said here.“Future designers have the opportunity to discover, shape, attain, transfer and apply knowledge to become the best design creators in any of the following majors: Fashion design, Jewelry design, Visual communication (graphic design), Fashion marketing and merchandising,” Hala Halwani, director of Raffles Design Institute in Riyadh told Arab News on Monday.This global educational experience has been brought to the Middle East starting in Riyadh, she said. “The Raffles Design Institute Riyadh is cooperating with the Singapore-based Raffles International Corporation (RIC) in an exciting joint venture,” Halwani said. “The RIC is internationally recognized for being the No 1 design specialized undergraduate and graduate school in the Asia-Pacific region since 1990 with over 20,000 graduates and current applicants,” she said adding that the new center in Riyadh will allow applicants to benefit from the specialized training without having to leave the country or their loved ones.Raffles KSA is committed to promoting design as an industry and designers as creative artists who seek their passion and aspire to excellence, hence the Raffles Riyadh initiative, she said, stressing its motto ‘Evolve to Excel, Inspire to Empower.’Empowerment of women, she said is a cause Raffles KSA takes seriously by providing female applicants the required knowledge and skills to become entrepreneurs and professional players in the design world through its diverse certificate options. There is a lot of flexibility and choice, she said, where applicants can choose between acquiring an associate bachelor degree between Riyadh and any Raffles international college, a high school diploma program, a diploma program, or a short diploma in the fundamentals of design.“The full time study and incorporated international modules along with the inspiring and horizon broadening environment reflects the attained results of delivering a well-rounded student with unique exposure to the global design movement and culture,” Halwani said.The Raffles Riyadh campus is impressively designed with large spacious classrooms infused with natural light; the walls are decorated with beautiful artwork and inspiring quotes from famous thinkers which make the stroll a pleasant journey to a new dimension of creativity and imagination.“Starting Aug 31, with the beginning of its new semester, Raffles KSA promises the Riyadh community a new wave of talent manufacturing contributing to the overall refinement in design culture where all applicants will pour their talents into its vision of being the ‘Saudi Design Hub,” Halwani said.She said that programs are also chalked out in coordination with the Technical Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC). She hoped that those who pass out from this institute would readily find jobs in the market since fashion designing is in vogue at the moment. She also pointed out that Harvey Nichols have already consented to take some of the successful candidates from the institute for employment in their outlets.